Bottle-filling apparatus.



A. PINNQLA.

BOTTLE FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLLCATION FILED JUNE 23, 1915.

1,222,%& Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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A. PINNOLA. BOTTLE FILL I NG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlL ED JUNE 23,1915.

.LQQQAGS, Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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A. PINNOLA.

BOTTLE FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. I915.

Pa-tented Apr. 10, 1917.

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A. PINNOLA.

BOTTLE FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23 x915.

1,222,Q63@ Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ACHILLE PINNOLA, F BAVENA, NEW YORK.

BOTTLE-FILLING APPARATUS.

ii ,222A63.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. it), 191?.

r Application filed June 23, 1915. Serial No. 35,829.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AOHILLE PINNoLA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Ravena, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Filling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for filling bottles with beverages and other liquids, and particularly to a filling apparatus of that type in which the liquid is forced from a reservoir to the bottle or bottles by air or gas under a predetermined working pressure.

The object of the invention is to provide a bottle filling apparatus which is simple, reliable and eiiicient in construction, which may be manufactured and operated at a comparatively low cost, and which embodies novel and improved means for supplying the liquid from a reservoir to a series of bottles to be filled through intervening distributing mechanism.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of 1 a filling apparatus embodying my invention,

showing the guard screen 1n working position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, omitting the guard screen and showing parts of the apparatus in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on the line of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a suitable supporting frame, including certain parts hereinafter described, which frame may be made of wood or metal or of a composite structure as desired. Supported in any preferred manner upon this frame is a reservoir 2 of a suitable type containing the liquid which is to be filled into the bottles or receptacles, whichreservoir is charged above the level of the liquid with air under a determined working pressure. As shown in the present instance, the reservoir is arranged within a refrigerating receptacle 3, in which ice or other refrigerating means may be stored, so that the liquid contained in the reservoir may be cooled to any desired degree before being filled into the bottles, whenever desired. A supply pipe t leads to the reservoir from a suitable source of sup ply of the liquid, such as a keg or other receptacle, and where such kegs or receptacles are of small capacity an additional supply pipe 5 may be provided so that liquid from two of the kegs or receptacles may be supplied to the storage reservoir simultaneously. A pipe 6 is provided for charging the reser voir with compressed air from a pump or other source of supply and this pipe has a controlling valve 7. A pipe 8 is tapped into the pipe (3 at a point adjacent to the reservoir and communicates with a pressure gage E), for indicating at all times the pressure within the reservoir, and leading from this pipe 8 is a pipe 10 containing a controlling valve 11 which may be either manually or automatically operated, whereby the reservoir may be relieved of any excess pressure when the occasion arises. A gage 12 is also provided for indicating the level of the liquid within the reservoir.

An outlet connection 13 leads from the bottom of the tank and is connected with a feed pipe 1 2 provided with a faucet 15 whereby the contents of the reservoir may be drained ofi? when desired. The pipe 1% communicates with manifold or distribution pipe 16 with which are connected one or more filling tubes 18 having valves 17, which tubes are connected with and extend through a horizontal transverse supporting bar 19 mounted on the frame and to which are also fixed depending filling nozzles 20 with which the tubes communicate and filling caps 21 adapted to cover and close the I mouths of the bottles while they are being filled.

Below and in alinement with each filling nozzle is arranged a bottle support 22 carried by a vertically movable lever 23 pivoted at its inner or rear end to the frame, as indicated at 24-. The forward ends of the levers carrying the bottle supports 22 fit and travel in vertical guideways 25 and are provided with handles or projections 26. By means of these handles or projections 26 the vertically movable bottle supports may be depressed by rand or foot power against the resistance of sustaining springs 27, which springs are fastened at their lower ends to the bottle supports and at their upper ends to a bar 28 on the frame, the upward and downward movements of the supports being limited by stops at the upper and lower ends of the guideways 25. In placing a bottle in position to be filled the support is depressed so as to allow the bottle 29 to be rested at its base thereon and so that the mouth of the bottle may come beneath the overlying cap 21, whereby upon removing pressure from the support its spring will pull the support upward and bring the bottle mouth into sealing engagement with the cap 21, in which operation the filling nozzle is projected downwardly into the bottle. Upon then opening the discharge faucet connected with aid nozzle the liquid under pressure will flow into the bottle, whereby the latter will be filled in an obvious manner.

In an apparatus in which bottles are filled with liquid under fluid pressure it frequently happens that the pressure within the bottle is too great, causing the bottle to break or burst, with a resultant loss of the bottle and its contents, as well as danger of possible injury to the operator, and in many cases it also happens that an excess amount of liquid is supplied to the bottle which is slopped over and lost. In order to obviate these objections, I provide a means which permits of the vent of any excess pressure from the bottle, as well as the collection and recovery of any excess amount of liquid supplied to the bottle. The means employed for this purpose comprises a vessel or receiver 30, which may be in the form of an inverted bottle-shape body having its neck portion 31 provided with a cap or closure 32 communicating with a manifold pipe 33. This manifold pipe is connected by vent tubes or pipes 34L with the filling caps 21, and each has arranged therein a controlling or vent valve 35, while the receiver 30 is provided at its top with an escape valve 36. In the operation of filling a bottle the valve 35 is opened, and the air escapes through the tube 34 into the receiver 30, and ascends to the top of said receiver, while any excess liquid which may have been supplied to the bottle will also pass through the tube 3 f into the bottom of the receiver 30, so that at any future time by inserting a bottle in filling position and opening the valve 35 connected therewith the liquid contained in the receiver will drain therefrom by gravity and pass into the bottle, whereby all of the liquid usually allowed to go to waste will be recovered. In filling bottles with liquids charged with gas, such as with carbonic acid gas, the valves 35 and 36, which may be manually controlled, in the use of air, are preferably made of an automatic type so as to open under a predetermined pressure, thus allowing the bottle to be charged to a Copies of this patent may be obtained for safe pressure while permitting all excess pressure to escape.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that a machine of simple construction is provided which may be employed for filling bottles in a rapid and convenient manner with any kind of beverage or liquid, refrigerated or at atmospheric temperature,

and which may embody any desired number of filling devices for use in filling plants, bar rooms and other places where liquids are bottled for sale or dispensing. Also it will be evident that the invention provides in a simple manner means for preventing or diminishing to a material extent the losses occasioned by the breaking or explosion of bottles under excess pressure and the waste of the liquid from the causes mentioned.

Guide rods 37 are provided upon the machine to slidably support a vertically movable guard screen 38. This screen is provided with eyes 39 slidably engaging the rods and may also be provided with suitable rollers 30 to reduce friction. The rods are supported by brackets 4-1 serving as stops to limit upward and downward movements of the screen, and when in lowered position the screen is disposed in front of the bottles and will guard the same against injury from extraneous objects, as well as screen the operator in the event that, through accident any of the bottles should burst. By reason of the screen full access may be attained to the filling devices for cleansing and other purposes.

I claim A bottle filling apparatus including a frame, a series of fixeddepending filling nozzles at the front of the frame, a liquid reservoir at the upper, rear portion of the frame, a series of bottle supports disposed beneath the nozzles for cooperation therewith, vertically swinging levers pivotally mounted on the frame and carrying said supports and having operating handles projecting outwardly therefrom, springs for moving the levers in an upward direction toward the nozzles, a horizontal transverse feed pipe communicating with the reservoir, a hori' zontal transverse distributing pipe communicating at its ends with the feed pipe, the latter being centrally in communication with said reservoir, and valved filling tubes leading from said distributing pipe to the respective nozzles.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AGI-IILLE PINNOLA.

Witnesses I H. POND, J. A. MAYNARD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. G. 

